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Monday, October 10, 2011

Computer 101: The Keyboard Shortcuts

The keyboard is one of the main input devices that we used to access the computer, the other is the mouse and all its different variety and another is the voice operated software which is not new but is not yet common among computer user especially for ordinary user. The keyboard can be found in all types of electronic device that we used today whether it is a physical keyboard or an on-screen keyboard. We used the keyboard to put our mind in writing via different type of word processor and compute for the daily amounts of calcium that we take for health conscious one or other things that needs to be on the computer. We are master of the keyboard but in order to truly make full use of the key board we also need to know the different keyboard shortcut that we can use to quickly access certain function by pressing one key or pressing several key combinations. One example of the most commonly used keyboard short is the very famous Ctrl+Alt+Del key combination. Back during the DOS days, by simply pressing this key combination would automatically restart the computer, therefore losing all unsaved files. Today the same key combination still has the same task but need a confirmation or the person who activated it need to press another button to confirm the requested function of the key combination.

Keyboard shortcuts are combinations of two or more keys that, when pressed, can be used to perform a task that would typically require a mouse or other pointing device. Keyboard shortcuts can make it easier to interact with your computer, saving you time and effort as you work with Windows and other programs. Most programs also provide accelerator keys that can make it easier to work with menus and other commands. Check the menus of programs for accelerator keys. If a letter is underlined in a menu, which usually means that pressing the Alt key in combination with the underlined key will have the same effect as clicking that menu item. Pressing the Alt key in some programs, such as Paint and Word Pad, shows commands that are labeled with additional keys that you can press to use them.

Ease of Access keyboard shortcuts

The following table contains keyboard shortcuts that can help make your computer easier to use.

Press this key

To do this function

Right Shift for eight seconds

Turn Filter Keys on and off

Left Alt+Left Shift+PrtScn (or PrtScn)

Turn High Contrast on or off

Left Alt+Left Shift+Num Lock

Turn Mouse Keys on or off

Shift five times

Turn Sticky Keys on or off

Num Lock for five seconds

Turn Toggle Keys on or off

Windows logo key +U

Open the Ease of Access Center

General keyboard shortcuts

The following table contains general keyboard shortcuts.

Press this key

To do this Function

F1

Display Help

Ctrl+C

Copy the selected item

Ctrl+X

Cut the selected item

Ctrl+V

Paste the selected item

Ctrl+Z

Undo an action

Ctrl+Y

Redo an action

Delete

Delete the selected item and move it to the Recycle Bin

Shift+Delete

Delete the selected item without moving it to the Recycle Bin first

F2

Rename the selected item

Ctrl+Right Arrow

Move the cursor to the beginning of the next word

Ctrl+Left Arrow

Move the cursor to the beginning of the previous word

Ctrl+Down Arrow

Move the cursor to the beginning of the next paragraph

Ctrl+Up Arrow

Move the cursor to the beginning of the previous paragraph

Ctrl+Shift with an arrow key

Select a block of text

Shift with any arrow key

Select more than one item in a window or on the desktop, or select text within a document

Ctrl with any arrow key+Spacebar

Select multiple individual items in a window or on the desktop

Ctrl+A

Select all items in a document or window

F3

Search for a file or folder

Alt+Enter

Display properties for the selected item

Alt+F4

Close the active item, or exit the active program

Alt+Spacebar

Open the shortcut menu for the active window

Ctrl+F4

Close the active document (in programs that allow you to have multiple documents open simultaneously)

Alt+Tab

Switch between open items

Ctrl+Alt+Tab

Use the arrow keys to switch between open items

Ctrl+Mouse scroll wheel

Change the size of icons on the desktop

Windows logo key +Tab

Cycle through programs on the taskbar by using Aero Flip 3-D

Ctrl+Windows logo key +Tab

Use the arrow keys to cycle through programs on the taskbar by using Aero Flip 3-D

Alt+Esc

Cycle through items in the order in which they were opened

F6

Cycle through screen elements in a window or on the desktop

F4

Display the address bar list in Windows Explorer

Shift+F10

Display the shortcut menu for the selected item

Ctrl+Esc

Open the Start menu

Alt+underlined letter

Display the corresponding menu

Alt+underlined letter

Perform the menu command (or other underlined command)

F10

Activate the menu bar in the active program

Right Arrow

Open the next menu to the right, or open a submenu

Left Arrow

Open the next menu to the left, or close a submenu

F5

Refresh the active window

Alt+Up Arrow

View the folder one level up in Windows Explorer

Esc

Cancel the current task

Ctrl+Shift+Esc

Open Task Manager

Shift when you insert a CD

Prevent the CD from automatically playing

Dialog box keyboard shortcuts

The following table contains keyboard shortcuts for use in dialog boxes.

Press this key

To do this function

Ctrl+Tab

Move forward through tabs

Ctrl+Shift+Tab

Move back through tabs

Tab

Move forward through options

Shift+Tab

Move back through options

Alt+underlined letter

Perform the command (or select the option) that goes with that letter

Enter

Replaces clicking the mouse for many selected commands

Spacebar

Select or clear the check box if the active option is a check box

Arrow keys

Select a button if the active option is a group of option buttons

F1

Display Help

F4

Display the items in the active list

Backspace

Open a folder one level up if a folder is selected in the Save As or Open dialog box

Mastering the simple keyboard shortcut is just one way of showing that we really knew how to maximize the things that a regular keyboard can offer. It also shows how technically depth we are compare to the average person in knowledge and understanding in using the keyboard.